Perspective Of An Average Steelers Fan: Top 500 Steelers (2024 Edition)

As an average Steelers fan, I’m compelled to compare players from different eras. Dave Bryan was kind enough to publish my original List of Top 500 All-Time Pittsburgh Steelers in January 2017. My last update came at the end of the 2023 NFL season: Top 500 Steelers (2023 Edition).

This ninth edition of the Top 500 All-Time Pittsburgh Steelers incorporates on the field service, recognition, and accomplishments of the 2024 Steelers. Former Steelers rankings may move due to changes to Steelers All-Time individual leaders in select categories, adjusted statistics in the Pro Football Reference (one of my main resources), or recognition for their play such as induction to the Steelers Hall of Honor or the Football Hall of Fame.

Ward And Harrison Left Out in the Cold

The Football Hall of Fame selectors left Hines Ward and James Harrison out in the cold. For yet another year neither received enough votes to be Hall of Fame finalists. Frankly, I believe local Pittsburgh journalists have done a poor job championing their cause. Both were among the highest performers among their peers on the field. Hines accomplishments as a receiver deserve even more notice since he played on a run first offense unlike some of the other finalists at receiver. Harrison was a Defensive Player of the Year. And likely would have had a second if the NFL didn’t change the rules to reduce hard contact. None of the other finalists had such an impact on the game that they changed the  rules.

And both excelled in postseason play. The most important game of any season is the Super Bowl. Hines Ward was a Super Bowl MVP. And Harrison’s 100-yard pick-six is arguably the greatest play in Super Bowl history. It is that unique. Someday, I hope that an effective campaign is waged to get both in the Hall. They are more deserving than many others going before them.

Mr. 500

Keeanu Benton just missed the top 500 in his second season. He’s ranked 501 and will easily break into the top 500 with another strong showing next season. This year, defensive lineman Bob O’Neil is Mr. 500. The very last to make the all-time list. Previous Mr. 500’s includes Richard Huntley, Ricardo Colclough, Dick Arndt, David Woodley, Pete Ladygo, Lou Tepe, Chris Carter, and Charles Davenport.

T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward are the highest active players on the all-time list at numbers 14 and 20, respectively. 35-year old Heyward voted first team All-Pro in 2024 along with kicker Chris Boswell. Watt was favored to be defensive player of the year. But he faded towards the end of the year. He was the on the AP All Pro second team. Every player ranked ahead of Watt and Heyward is either already in the Football Hall of Fame or the Steelers Hall of Honor except for Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown.

PLAYERS DROPPED OFF THIS EDITION

As players ascend into the top 500; inevitably Newton’s third law of motion forces other players out. Here are the players who fell from last year’s list along with their new ranking:

Here are some details on these Steelers of yore:

J.C. Hassenauer

J.C. Hassenauer played college ball at Alabama. He played in 25 games winning 24 including national championships in 2015 and 2017. The Atlanta Falcons signed Hassenauer as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He spent most of that season on the Falcons practice squad. Then he played for  the Birmingham Iron of the short lived Alliance of American Football. His coach with the Iron was former Steelers defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator Tim Lewis.

The Steelers signed Hassenauer three days after the Alliance and the Iron folded operations in April 2019. Primarily a backup interior lineman at center and guard, he played 45 games including seven starts for the Steelers from 2020 to 2022. The New York Giants signed him for the 2023 season. But he tore his triceps in preseason. Hassenauer briefly came back to the Washington Commanders in 2024 but released after a couple weeks in camp.

Jerricho Cotchery

Jerricho Cotchery played three of his 12 NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2004, the  Jets drafted Cotchery in the fourth round out of North Carolina State. He and Tory Holt the only NC State receivers with two seasons gaining more than one thousand yards. Cotchery played for the Jets from 2004 to 2010. The Jets released Cotchery after they acquired  Santonio Holmes. Cotchery had suffered groin injuries, and his production waned.

The Steelers signed Cotchery to a one year deal in August 2011. In three seasons Cotchery played 43 games starting only eight. Cotchery scored a 31-yard touchdown to tie the Broncos with 3:48 to play in regulation of the Steelers overtime playoff loss. Also, in 2013 he scored a career high 10 touchdowns. He finished his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers. Jerricho Cotchery is currently the head coach of Limestone University in South Carolina.

Earl Morrall

Earl Morrall had a storied 21-year NFL career. Morrall most famous as the backup to Hall of Fame quarterbacks Johnny Unitas and Bob Greise. Morrall started the 1968 season for an injured Unitas. Morrall earned NFL Most Valuable Player by leading the Colts to a 13-1 record and a spot in Super Bowl III. Unfortunately, he was pulled from the game due to ineffective play. Then in 1972, Morrall started the last nine regular season and two playoff games in the Dolphins unprecedented undefeated season. That included a 21-17 victory over the Steelers in the AFC championship game. What is less known about Earl Morrall was his Pro Bowl season as quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The San Francisco 49ers drafted Michigan State All-American Earl Morrall in the first round in 1956.

In a surprise move, Buddy Parker traded for Morrall and guard Mike Sandusky in exchange for the Steelers next two first round picks and linebacker Marv Matuszak. In 1957, Morrall led a quarterback room that included future Hall of Famer Len Dawson and Presidential candidate Jack Kemp. The Steelers finished 6-6 and despite finishing last in offense, Morrall named to the Pro Bowl team. Perhaps the Pro East team head coach Buddy Parker lent a hand with that selection. Parker traded Morrall to the Lion after two games the next season to reunite with Bobby Layne. When asked what it took to come off the bench to be effective Earl said, “When you get the chance to do the job, you have to do the job. That’s all there is to it.”  Morrall passed away at 79 in 2014. A postmortem examination revealed he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Leterrius “LT” Walton

The Steelers drafted Leterrius “LT” Walton in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. Walton played college ball at Central Michigan with 30 starts out of 54 games played. He played as a backup to Cam Heyward from 2015 to 2018. He started the last four regular season and two playoff games after Heyward lost for the 2016 season. He finished with six solo tackles in the last four regular season games including three in a 27-24 win over the Browns in the season finale. Walton signed as a free agent with the Giants in 2019 but released in the preseason. The Steelers brought Walton back for a fifth season after an injury to Stephon Tuitt.

Unfortunately, Walton suffered a season ending meniscus injury himself and never played a snap in 2019. Lost his trail since then.

Jonathan Dwyer

Jonathan Dwyer shined at Georgia Tech. As a running back, he led the ACC with 1,395 yards rushing averaging 7.0 yards an attempt in 2008. That led to him honored as the ACC player of the year. Dwyer matched his rushing total in 2009 and decided to forgo his senior year to enter the 2010 NFL draft. Perhaps hurt by concerns over his weight and combine performance with a relatively slow 4.64 forty time, he slipped to the sixth round where the Steelers drafted him. He played in Pittsburgh from 2010 to 2013.

His big opportunity came in 2012 when his playing time increased due to injuries to Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman. Mike Tomlin named him the starter near the end of the season. He gained 100 yards rushing in two consecutive games. Later he scored a touchdown with Charlie Batch making the lead block to clear his path to the end zone in a 23-20 win over Baltimore. But his career in Pittsburgh up and down like his weight. He signed with Arizona as a free agent in March 2014. Unfortunately, he was arrested two games into the season due to a domestic violence charge that occurred in July on the eve of training camp. This incident ended his NFL career. Here is Dwyer in happier times in Pittsburgh for a segment called a day in the life. Hopefully, Dwyer is getting his life back on track. In 2024, he was named to the Georgia High School Hall of Fame.

Rick Moser

Rick Moser was an unlikely survivor of camp battles for roster positions. Drafted out of  Rhode Island in the eighth round, the 1978 Steelers had a stacked stable of running backs. Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Sidney Thorton, Jack Deloplaine, and Reggie Harrison. Moser somehow outlasted Harrison who the Steelers cut. Most likely for his value on special teams. Again in 1979, he made the roster even after the Steelers drafted Greg Hawthorne in the first round and Russell Davis in the third. His contributions on special teams exemplified by his five tackles in Super Bowl XIV against the Rams. He also delivered key blocks for the return team with Larry Anderson averaging 32.4 yards per kick return.

However, a broken collarbone in training camp prevented a third consecutive year as a Steelers special teams demon. He ended up with the Dolphins late in the 1980 season when Pittsburgh attempted to activate him from injured reserve. He did serve a second stint in Pittsburgh after a one-game stay in Kansas City in  1981. He played his special teams role until waived in December 1982 after coach Chuck Noll blamed him for missing an assignment on a blocked punt. Still the two-time Super Bowl champion made many more good plays than bad. He was a leading special team tackler, blocker and forced at least one fumble on a kickoff. Plus, he recovered two fumbles.

Moser summed up his Steelers career: “… I’m spoiled as hell. I played college ball at Rhode Island and now I’m playing on the best team in football.” Following football Moser went into acting. He’s credited with 11 acting roles including the assistant coach in the 1993 classic Dazed and Confused.

Richie McCabe

Richie McCabe was a hometown boy that the  Steelers drafted out of Pitt in 1955. The team was familiar with McCabe well before college. He served as a Steelers water boy while attending North Catholic High School with teammate Dan Rooney. Most of his high school ink was as a star running back. At Pitt, he transitioned to a defensive back. But when two platoon football eliminated he played halfback. The Steelers took a flyer on McCabe in the 22nd round. Moser said, “when you get down that far, they’ll take anyone. No one gave me a chance to make the team. But deep down I felt I could play.”

Highlights in his rookie season included a 50-yard fumble recovery return for a touchdown in a 27-26 loss to the Rams. A game handed to Los Angeles on a questionable call against McCabe that resulted in a melee involving head coach Walt Kiesling physically going after the officials. Two weeks later he intercepted two passes to prevent scores in a 13-7 victory of the Eagles that briefly put the Steelers near the top of their division. However, they would win one more game before dropping their last seven games. He started all 12 games as a rookie.

McCabe missed his second year and most of his third due to military service. He played two games in 1957 under new coach Buddy Parker. McCabe started five games in 1958 but battled a knee injury. Parker traded McCabe to the Redskins for fullback Bill Hicks who never played a down in the NFL while McCabe earned a starting job with the Redskins. McCabe played a season in Washington before joining the Buffalo Bills in the fledgling  American Football League. He was a first team All-Pro in 1960. But chronic knee problems and a set of broken ribs forced him to retire near the end of the 1961 season. McCabe taught social studies at Oliver High School and was an assistant coach at Carnegie Tech. He was a defensive backs coach beginning in 1966 for the Bills, Raiders, and Browns before going to Denver in 1977. McCabe died of cancer just after the 1982 season at just 48 years old.

Pressley Harvin III

Pressley Harvin III had a stellar punting career at Georgia Tech. He led the entire NCAA with a 48.0 punting average and was the Ray Guy Award recipient as the best punter his senior year. The Steelers drafted him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft. He missed two games at the end of his rookie year due to the death of his father on Christmas Day. He also lost his grandmother on the night before the final game of the season against Baltimore. But he played in that game.

Harvin said, “I’m just truly appreciative of … the Steelers organization and the Rooney family because when I first got up here, I was told the motto of the Rooney family was family, faith and football in that order…. I really, really felt that whenever we got the bad news about my dad and grandma…. But I was extremely blessed and appreciative of all the efforts this family and the organization gave to me.”

The team stood behind Harvin despite just averaging 42.6-yards a punt. He improved his punting average in 2022 and 2023. But ranked near the bottom of the league. And he  proved to be inconsistent with several shanks. Pittsburgh released Pressley following the 2024 season. He did not play in 2024. Pressley’s 43.7-yard career punting average ranks eighth in Steelers history.

Eli Rogers

Eli Rogers played for Louisville as a second or third receiver. He was not projected to be drafted and was ranked 132 among receivers in the 2015 draft. Pittsburgh signed Rogers as an undrafted free agent. However, he spent the 2015 season on injured reserve. He made the team as the fifth receiver in 2016. Injuries gave Eli an opportunity to start eight games he exploited the opportunity. He finished the season with three touchdowns and 594 received yards, third most on the team. He also scored the winning touchdown in a 24-20 win over Cincinnati. His production tailed off in 2017. He served a one game suspension to start 2018. Then missed the next 12 games recovering from an ACL injury. He did not make the roster in 2019.

Rogers played in several leagues since then. Including the DC Defenders of the XFL in 2019. The Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. And the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL. The Orlando Guardians drafted him in 2023. But the team folded when the XFL and USFL merged. Since then, Eli has been on social media platforms assisting young receivers on their footwork and route running skills.

Jack Sanders

Pittsburgh acquired Jack Sanders from the New York Giants in a trade prior to the 1940 season. He had played on the offensive line for Southern Methodist University. He played in 30 games starting 19 between 1940 and 1942. A tough guy, he missed games due to a “minor” fractured skull and broken ankle. But returned to action both seasons. In addition to his blocking, Sanders converted 12 of 13 extra point attempts. Sanders was part of the swap of teams between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia when Art Rooney sold the Steelers in 1940. But he remained in Pittsburgh when Bert Bell and Art Rooney moved the Eagles to Pittsburgh and the Iron Men went to Philly.

However, later in early 1943 Sanders was one of the many players that left the Steelers after their first winning season to serve in the military during World War II. That attrition forced the temporary merger with Philadelphia in 1943. Sanders enlisted in the Marines and fought on Iwo Jima. He was severely wounded there. He had part of his left arm amputated. Although still under contract with Pittsburgh, the Steelers permitted him to play for the Eagles for the 1945 season. Despite missing his arm below the left elbow, he appeared in three games. The military sent 22,000 wounded veterans to watch Sanders play in the Eagles season opener. In 1966, Sanders was among six bidders for the New Orleans expansion franchise. The NFL went with John Mecom instead. But what a career.

Richard Huntley

The Steelers brought Richard Huntley in for a pre-draft visit in 1996. But the trade for Jerome Bettis shifted their interests to other positions. So, the Falcons drafted Huntley out of Winston-Salem University in the fourth round. Pittsburgh signed Huntley as a free agent after his release from Atlanta following his rookie season. He served as a backup to Jerome Bettis finishing second in team rushing in 1999 along with eight touchdowns. More than Bettis or Hines Ward who had seven apiece that season. But nine fumbles over three seasons hurt his role as a backup.

Still his 1,386 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns over three seasons contributed to the Steelers remaining competitive despite missing the playoffs all three seasons. He scored the last two touchdowns in Three Rivers Stadium in a 24-3 win over Washington. Huntley was release before the 2001 season to pave the way for younger backs Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala and Amos Zereoue. He played two more seasons in the NFL. But recurring hamstring injuries that had hampered him throughout his career caught up to him. Huntley was enshrined into the Black College Hall of Fame’s class of 2024. He works with the Carolina Panthers helping rookies transition into the NFL.

Do you remember these players? If you have an interesting anecdote about any of them, please give us your story in the comment section.

NEWCOMERS TO THE TOP 500

Here are the new additions to the list:

All of the 11 ascending players were on the Steelers 2024 roster. Pittsburgh acquired five through the NFL draft and signed five as free agents. Jaylen Warren was an undrafted free agent in 2022. Russell Wilson makes the list after just one season with the Steelers. He joins Byron “Whizzer” White as the only players on the Steelers Top 500 with just one season of play.

CONCLUSION

32 players played a regular season game in Steelers uniforms for the first time in 2024. There are now 1,664 players who have worn the Black and Gold in at least one regular season game since the team entered the league in 1933.

Some rankings such as long snapper Christian Kuntz ahead of Jaylen Warren or Joey Porter Jr. will correct over time. Players advance and fall at varied rates each season.

Many of you may dispute where I rank different players. That’s okay by me. I use a matrix, so once the numbers crunch players end up where they do. I wish some of my favorite players ranked higher. Conversely, there are some jagoffs that I wish came in lower on the rankings. It is what it is. Here we go.

The full list of Top 500 Steelers is just below your music selection.

YOUR MUSIC SELECTION

I always like to include some music. This series is an effort to show off the best of the Pittsburgh Steelers. And to generate memories of some who wore Black and Gold years ago. I’m sure some of your favorites are on here. Who do you love? Here is Who Do You Love performed by Bo Diddley.

The Top 500 Steelers (2024 Edition):